ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Step-count monitors (pedometers, body-worn trackers and smartphone applications) can increase walking, helping to tackle physical inactivity. We aimed to assess the effect of step-count monitors on physical activity (PA) in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) amongst community-dwelling adults; including longer-term effects, differences between step-count monitors, and between intervention components. METHODS:Systematic literature searches in seven databases identified RCTs in healthy adults, or those at risk of disease, published between January 2000-April 2020. Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Outcome was mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in steps at follow-up between treatment and control groups. Our preferred outcome measure was from studies with follow-up steps adjusted for baseline steps (change studies); but we also included studies reporting follow-up differences only (end-point studies). Multivariate-meta-analysis used random-effect estimates at different time-points for change studies only. Meta-regression compared effects of different step-count monitors and intervention components amongst all studies at ?4?months. RESULTS:Of 12,491 records identified, 70 RCTs (at generally low risk of bias) were included, with 57 trials (16,355 participants) included in meta-analyses: 32 provided change from baseline data; 25 provided end-point only. Multivariate meta-analysis of the 32 change studies demonstrated step-counts favoured intervention groups: MD of 1126 steps/day 95%CI [787, 1466] at ?4?months, 1050 steps/day [602, 1498] at 6?months, 464 steps/day [301, 626] at 1?year, 121 steps/day [-?64, 306] at 2?years and 434 steps/day [191, 676] at 3-4?years. Meta-regression of the 57 trials at ?4?months demonstrated in mutually-adjusted analyses that: end-point were similar to change studies (+?257 steps/day [-?417, 931]); body-worn trackers/smartphone applications were less effective than pedometers (-?834 steps/day [-?1542, -?126]); and interventions providing additional counselling/incentives were not better than those without (-?812 steps/day [-?1503, -?122]). CONCLUSIONS:Step-count monitoring leads to short and long-term step-count increases, with no evidence that either body-worn trackers/smartphone applications, or additional counselling/incentives offer further benefit over simpler pedometer-based interventions. Simple step-count monitoring interventions should be prioritised to address the public health physical inactivity challenge. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:PROSPERO number CRD42017075810 .